Alaska Marine Highway Ferry System Reservation and Ticketing Agent

During the summer, vehicles with reservations are required to check in at the terminal prior to posted vessel departures as follows:
Bellingham and Prince Rupert - 3 hours;
Skagway, Haines, Juneau, Ketchikan - 2 hours;
Petersburg - 1.5 hours;
Homer, Seward, and Kodiak - 2 hours;
all other ports - 1 hour.
For cross Gulf sailings please check in four hours in advance in Seward, and Valdez.

The lengthy check-in times are needed so that the vehicles can be arranged in the boarding lanes for safe and efficient loading. Passengers with vehicles who do not arrive on time may find that their reserved space has been given to someone waiting on the standby list.

Passengers without vehicles are required to check in 2 hours prior to departure in Bellingham, and 1 hour prior to departure at all other ports.

Departure times at Sitka vary according to the tides and are set by the vessel master. Call the Sitka terminal at 907-747-8737 one hour before the arrival time listed in the schedule for a confirmed check-in/departure time.

Cars & Motorcycles

Any vehicle that may be driven or towed legally on a highway may be transported on an AMHS ferry ship. Vehicle fares are determined by the vehicle's overall length and width.

All motorcycles must be fully secured on the car deck using appropriate tie-downs. It is the responsibility of the motorcycle owner to ensure this is completed properly. Rope may be obtained from car deck personnel for lashing purposes.

Recreational Vehicles

Fares for recreational vehicles are the same as for other vehicles of the same size. However, for information purposes, these vehicles are booked under a separate code, so if you are traveling with an RV, please indicate that when you make your reservation. United States Coast Guard regulations prohibit access to the car deck while a vessel is underway, so RVs and motor homes may not be used for dining and sleeping while on an AMHS ferry ship. Electrical hookups for vehicle refrigeration units are not available, and bottled gas containers must be turned off and sealed by an AMHS employee at the time of boarding.

Bicycles, Kayaks, etc

Bicycles, kayaks, and boats under 100 pounds will be charged at the Alternate Means of Conveyance rate. Boats weighing more than 100 pounds will be charged at the Vehicles up to 10' rate. Larger boats must be on a trailer and will be charged the appropriate vehicle rate by length.

Pets

Pets may travel on AMHS vessels, but they must have current health certificates (within 30 days) in order to travel through Canada or into Alaska from another state. Dogs, cats, and other household pets cost $25 to transport to and from Bellingham, and $10 to transport to and from Prince Rupert. Travel between Alaskan ports is free, and there is no charge on any route for a certified service animal traveling with a person with a disability.

Pets must remain on the car decks of all AMHS vessels, and be cared for by their owners. This means they must stay either in vehicles or in suitable containers (not provided by AMHS), which must also remain on the car decks.

Owners may visit their pets on the car deck only while vessels are in port. Due to United States Coast Guard regulations, passengers are not allowed on the car deck while vessels are underway, unless accompanied by an AMHS employee. Accompanied pet calls are announced by the purser approximately three times a day between Bellingham and Ketchikan, and between Juneau and Valdez.

For information regarding transportation of larger animals such as horses or cattle, contact the Homer Ferry Terminal. The transportation of birds is regulated by federal law. For more information, contact U.S. and Canadian customs.

Oversize Vehicles

Vehicles 8½ to 9 feet wide will be charged approximately 125% of the fare listed for the vehicle length. Vehicles over 9 feet wide will be charged approximately 150% of the fare listed for the vehicle length. When transporting a towed trailer or vehicle, the overall connected length is used to determine fares.

Drivers of vehicles with long overhangs are advised that, due to the large tidal range of Alaskan waters (up to 40 feet in some places), the angle of the transfer ramp may cause damage to undercarriage units such as holding tanks or plumbing. Vehicles longer than 25 feet may have trouble clearing the top of the car deck door at low tide.

AMHS is not responsible for damage caused by the angle of the transfer ramp.

United States Coast Guard regulations prohibit access to the car deck while a vessel is underway. Passengers have access to the car deck when vessels are in port, and escorted trips are periodically announced by the purser between Bellingham and Ketchikan, and between Juneau and Valdez.

Unaccompanied Vehicles

Non-driveable vehicles and vehicles not accompanied by a driver will be assessed a surcharge of $50 to and from Bellingham, $20 to and from Prince Rupert, and $10 to and from all Alaskan ports. AMHS does not provide for loading or off-loading vehicles; it is the shipper's responsibility to provide this service. If the shipper makes no arrangement to load the vehicle, it will not be loaded. If the shipper makes no arrangement to remove the vehicle from a vessel on arrival, one of the following actions will be taken at the discretion of AMHS:

The vehicle will remain on the vessel and the shipper will be charged for additional shipping;
The vehicle will be removed from the vessel by a commercial towing company at the shipper's expense;
Or AMHS will remove the vehicle and the shipper will be charged $100 before the vehicle is released.

Commercial Vehicles

Construction vehicles and/or vehicles hauling freight are required to provide a certified weight slip showing combined overall weight of the tractor, trailer/van, and load. Because weigh stations are not always available at the departure port, truckers should obtain a weight slip before leaving their points of origin.

Cabin Waitlists

If the desired cabin is not available, reservation personnel may offer to place your request on a waitlist. A limited number of requests will be added to a waitlist, which is checked on a regular basis. If cancellations occur you will be notified of confirmation of space. You do not pay for a waitlisted item until the space has been confirmed.

If your cabin request has not been confirmed by the time of your sailing, you may sign up on the purser's Standby list on board. Once the sailing is underway, the purser is responsible for handing out room keys and assigning any unoccupied cabins to those on the standby list.

If you arrive at your boarding terminal without confirmed space for your vehicle, you must sign up on the Standby list at the terminal.